Midfielder Tran Thanh Trung explains the reason for his elimination from U23 Vietnam

Tran Thanh Trung (middle) in the stands watching U23 Vietnam win 2-0 over U23 Bangladesh.

During the training camp to prepare for the 2026 AFC U23 Championship qualifiers, Vietnamese-American midfielder Tran Thanh Trung became a notable face when he participated for the first time. However, the player born in 2005 was not included in the official 23-player list by coach Kim Sang-sik, as he wanted to keep the same squad that won the Southeast Asian U23 Championship in July.

Sharing after being eliminated, Thanh Trung affirmed that he completely understood the coaching staff's choice. "I'm not sad. Coach Kim highly values me but wants to preserve my legs, because I haven't fully adapted to the environment and still have some overload in my groin muscles," said the midfielder of Bulgarian origin.

During the training period, Thanh Trung received a lot of support from his teammates and gradually felt the collective atmosphere. He wished the whole team to pass the qualifying round to participate in the 2026 AFC U23 Championship, and at the same time set a further goal of conquering the SEA Games 33 gold medal with U23 Vietnam.

Tran Thanh Trung has just returned to Vietnam for over a month, after three years playing for the first team of Slavia Sofia (Bulgaria). He chose to play for Ninh Binh FC, considering this a suitable environment to develop his career. However, he himself admitted that he was somewhat subjective when he first returned to the country.

“I thought a lot about whether I should return to Vietnam to play football. It was quite difficult at first, from the weather that made me easily out of breath, to not being used to Vietnamese food. But thanks to my teammates, I gradually adapted. Now I am happy to be back, although sometimes I still miss Bulgaria,” Thanh Trung shared.

At Ninh Binh FC, Thanh Trung has yet to compete for a starting position. He determined that he needs more time to get used to the V.League style of play, while also focusing on physical care.

“Health is the most important thing for a player. I aim to become a great player in Vietnamese football. In the immediate future, I will try my best to help Ninh Binh FC compete for the V.League championship, and in the future, to wear the national team jersey,” Thanh Trung affirmed.

Tran Thanh Trung may not have left a big impression in his first time training with U23 Vietnam, but with his eagerness to learn and determination, he is still a promising name for the future of national football.

Source: https://znews.vn/tien-ve-tran-thanh-trung-noi-ly-do-bi-loai-o-u23-viet-nam-post1582705.html